Tuesday's Trailheads

An Epochal Mass Casualty Attack Targeting ‘Capitalist Elites’ Thwarted by Noah Rothman "At least 23 people were allegedly captured in an encrypted Signal chat plotting to execute a sophisticated, multistage attack on Washington, D.C. — a plot advanced enough that some suspects traveled to nearby Virginia late last week to make final preparations." "The plan reportedly involved the use of “explosive-laden” drones that would strike buildings in the vicinity of the White House during the UFC fight, sparking a mass evacuation. Amid the chaos, a sniper team would open fire on the fleeing crowd of high-profile attendees. A “second stage” would then unfold, in which assailants would storm the White House — presumably in pursuit of as many administration officials as they could reach." "The motives of the would-be attackers have not yet been firmly established. But one of the five plotters whom the FBI arrested provided some clues: “A suspect told investigators the goal of the attack was to target ‘capitalist elites,’ ‘billionaires,’ and politicians who received money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC),” read the New York Post’s summary of Fox’s reporting." Latter-Day Saints, Modern-Day Allies by Timothy Nerozzi "“At the end of the day, if other Christians don’t want to accept me as a Christian, I’m not terribly bothered by that. I know I’m a follower of Jesus Christ,” said Jasmin Rappleye, a popular LDS influencer. “We feel like we have common beliefs, and so we’d love to be friends. We want to build community together.” Her comments echo Mr. Wilson’s talk of “co-belligerents.”" "Fr. Christopher Gray, rector of the Catholic Cathedral of the Madeleine in the heart of Salt Lake City, is likewise “grateful” to all his “LDS friends,” and prefers to focus on bigger issues. “Lack of faith today is the greater problem than anything else,” he said." "The Defense Department debacle was an unwelcome reminder of a sometimes painful difference in perception. But it’s ultimately fruitless. If Christians and LDS believers can’t agree on how they relate to one another, they should focus on the much larger battles they’re fighting together." Brent falls below $80 per barrel on report U.S. will allow Iran to sell oil immediately by Hugh Leask, Spencer Kimball "Oil prices fell to their lowest level in three months Tuesday, as the U.S. will reportedly allow Iran to immediately begin selling crude under the terms of the deal to end the conflict." "Brent crude futures fell 5% to close at $78.96 per barrel, the first time the international benchmark has fallen below $80 since March. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures lost 5.8% to settle at $76.05." "People familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal that oil sanctions relief for Iran will take effect immediately after the agreement is signed." The US has emboldened Iran and abandoned Israel by Phil Mullan "The Tehran regime remains intact, minus a few senior figures, courtesy of the precision Israeli air strikes. Also, the leadership has now shown that it can control shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, giving it a new weapon to use, or to threaten to use, in its own cruel interests." "Even worse, the barbaric Islamist authorities might be emboldened further in their goals, having seen the depth of disunity and spinelessness in the old West. The Islamic Republic has confirmed that its ‘Great Satan’ opponent lacks the moral resolve to follow a war through to its end – an awareness that could encourage it to undertake future terroristic actions at home and abroad." "The repercussions of this war will extend far beyond the Middle East. America has advertised its diminished authority on the world stage. Allies will start reassessing their relationship with the US. And the West’s enemies will be emboldened."